By Keri Blakinger Published 8:28 am, Tuesday, February 27, 2018 Photo: Liz O. Baylen / TNS Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 With the state on track to hit a thousand drug overdose deaths by the end of the year, many people are likely look for a way to treat their substance abuse issues before they get out of hand. But the Connecticut Better Business Bureau is cautioning consumers about home-based “detoxification products” that claim to make addiction recovery fast and easy. (Liz O. Baylen/Los Angeles Times/TNS) less With the state on track to hit a thousand drug overdose deaths by the end of the year, many people are likely look for a way to treat their substance abuse issues before they get out of hand. But the ... more Photo: Liz O. Baylen / TNS Harris County fights Big Pharma efforts to move opioid lawsuit to Ohio 1 / 1 Back to Gallery Harris County is fighting drug companies' efforts to move a sweeping opioid lawsuit hundreds of miles away to a federal court in Ohio. Initially filed in a county court in December, the legal claim targets 21 companies and a handful of individuals accused of conspiracy, neglect and creating a public nuisance by making and marketing addictive painkillers, according to court papers. After legal wrangling earlier this month, three of the drug distributors named in the drug suit - McKesson Corporation, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health - succeeded in getting the claim moved to a federal court in Texas. But they're still aiming to transfer the case to a federal court in Ohio, according to legal filings. "Harris County residents deserve justice in their own court," County Attorney Vince Ryan said in a statement. "Any delay such as that associated with transferring the case to Cleveland is unacceptable and imposes a burden upon the Harris Continue Reading

Mark Gillispie, Associated Press Updated 5:28 am, Thursday, February 1, 2018 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-4', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 4', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); Photo: Patrick Sison, AP Image 1of/4 CaptionClose Image 1 of 4 FILE - This Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017 file photo shows an arrangement of pills of the opioid oxycodone-acetaminophen, also known as Percocet, in New York. Cities and counties of all sizes have sued companies that make and distribute prescription opioids. Among the plaintiffs so far: Philadelphia; the state of Ohio; Princeton, West Virginia; the Cherokee Nation; and a consortium of counties across Wisconsin. less FILE - This Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017 file photo shows an arrangement of pills of the opioid oxycodone-acetaminophen, also known as Percocet, in New York. Cities and counties of all sizes have sued companies that ... more Photo: Patrick Sison, AP Image 2 of 4 FILE - This Jan. 11, 2018 file photo shows judge Dan Polster in his office in Cleveland. Polster has called the opioid addiction epidemic “100 percent man-made” and asserted that other branches of government have “punted” on solving it. Polster has made clear that he wants to use the cases before him as a way to forge a solution to the opioid crisis _ not just a legal resolution. less FILE - This Jan. 11, 2018 file photo shows judge Dan Polster in his office in Cleveland. Polster has called the opioid addiction epidemic “100 percent man-made” and asserted that other branches of ... more Photo: Tony Dejak, AP Image 3 of 4 FILE - In this Nov. 8, 2017 file photo, Steph Gaspar, a Continue Reading

The Shelby County Commission voted Wednesday to override two mayoral vetoes, keeping alive the threat of further legal action as the commission and mayor consider mediation to resolve their disagreements over the county's opioid lawsuit.The commission voted 8-5 to override the vetoes of the resolutions ratifying commission chairwoman Heidi Shafer's decision to hire a New York-based law firm to file a Circuit Court lawsuit without approval of Mayor Mark Luttrell; instructed the mayor to stop suing the commission in Chancery Court for control of the lawsuit; and approved the use of taxpayer dollars to fund the commissioners' legal defense against the mayor's lawsuit.Overriding the vetoes could give the commission more cards to play in a mediation with Luttrell that Shafer proposed in a letter Tuesday — or it could fuel a bitter dispute that, as Commissioner Mark Billingsley put it, "spiraled out of control" almost since inception.Luttrell hadn't committed to mediation although he was open to the idea, County Chief Administrative Officer Harvey Kennedy said Wednesday morning before the commission's vote in a special-called meeting.In her letter, Shafer recommended retired Tennessee Supreme Court justice George Brown as the mediator.Voting for the overrides were commissioners Shafer, Eddie Jones, Justin Ford, Reginald Milton, Van Turner Jr., Terry Roland, Melvin Burgess and Willie Brooks Jr. Voting against were Billingsley, George Chism, Steve Basar, Walter Bailey Jr. and David Reaves. More: Shelby County mayor vetoes law firm hire for opioid lawsuit More: Shelby County mayor wins control of opioid lawsuit The mediation will deal with disagreements surrounding the county's lawsuit, which was recently filed by New York-based law firm Napoli Shkolnik on behalf of the commissionl . Luttrell sued commissioners, and on Nov. 14 County Chancellor Jim Kyle ruled that litigation falls under the mayor's authority. However, Kyle also ruled that Continue Reading

Shelby County Commission chairwoman Heidi Shafer on Tuesday offered to enter mediation with Mayor Mark Luttrell over an ongoing opioid lawsuit controversy.In a letter Tuesday, Shafer recommended retired Tennessee Supreme Court justice George Brown serve as the mediator between the commission and the administration.The mediation will deal with disagreements surrounding a lawsuit recently filed by New York-based law firm Napoli Shkolnik on behalf of the commission without Luttrell's approval. Luttrell sued commissioners, and on Nov. 14 County Chancellor Jim Kyle ruled that litigation falls under the mayor's authority. However, he also ruled that the lawsuit was in the public's interest and should be allowed to continue, and gave the administration until the year's end to become a party to and take control of the lawsuit.Lingering questions are whether the commission will appeal the ruling, how a transition of the lawsuit would work, and whether the county will pay the commissioners' legal bills for their defense against the mayor's lawsuit.The mayor hasn't decided whether he'll agree to the mediation but is open to the idea, County Chief Administrative Officer Harvey Kennedy said Wednesday. More: Shelby County mayor vetoes law firm hire for opioid lawsuit More: Shelby County mayor wins control of opioid lawsuit Following Kyle's ruling, Luttrell asserted control by vetoing two commission resolutions supporting the lawsuit, which was initially filed without formal commission approval by Shafer. In his notification letters, Luttrell floated the possibility of a negotiation.The commission was scheduled to vote Wednesday morning on whether to override the vetoes.During committee meetings Wednesday morning, there was also talk about merging the commission's newly created opioid task force and the administration's opioid workgroup. Commissioners said they would work out the details in upcoming meetings.But before the compromise, some Continue Reading

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell said he could make sweeping changes to an opioid lawsuit after wresting control of it from the County Commission on Tuesday in Chancery Court.County Chancellor Jim Kyle ruled that the county charter gives Luttrell "sole contracting authority" — meaning the County Commission overstepped its bounds this month by hiring New York-based law firm Napoli Shkolnik to sue pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors for their role in the opioid crisis. ► More: Shelby County Commission backs chairwoman in opioid lawsuit dispute Kyle, after an hour of arguments and 13 minutes of deliberation, also ordered attorneys to cease work on the commission's lawsuit until the end of the year to give the administration time to craft a legal strategy and join the lawsuit."It is clear to this court the actions of the commission exceed the bounds of the charter," Kyle said, delivering his preliminary ruling from the bench.Following the hearing, Luttrell said everything about the lawsuit is on the table as he brings the litigation back "in the lanes" — including the law firm; whether the defendants are manufacturers, distributors or both; and whether the county will work alongside the state attorney general on a lawsuit the state is considering filing."The bottom line: We are able to continue," Luttrell said of his office's work on a lawsuit.Luttrell acknowledged the possibility that the county could itself face a lawsuit if Napoli is fired. ► More: Shelby County mayor sues commissioner for control of opioid lawsuit ► More: Shelby County Commission directs mayor to drop opioid-control lawsuit Commission chairwoman Heidi Shafer, who initially hired Napoli Shkolnik — perhaps best known for winning a class-action settlement for sick Ground Zero workers — said Kyle's ruling was a "win" for Shelby County and West Tennessee. Because the lawsuit was filed quickly and will continue, Continue Reading

The Shelby County Commission voted Wednesday to endorse its chairwoman's decision to immediately move forward in suing opioid manufacturers and distributors, despite a pending lawsuit filed by Mayor Mark Luttrell's administration to block the action.The commission voted 8-0 to endorse chairwoman Heidi Shafer's decision to hire New York-based Napoli Shkolnik, the law firm known for winning a huge class-action settlement for sick Ground Zero workers, among others. The resolution also approved using taxpayer dollars to hire Allan Wade, the Memphis City Council's in-house attorney, to defend Shafer and her decision from the administration's lawsuit in Chancery Court.After the vote, Luttrell said he would decide whether to veto the resolution within the next 10 days, after consulting with County Attorney Kathryn Pascover. More: Shelby County mayor sues commissioner for control of opioid lawsuit More: Shelby County officials spar over hiring of opioid lawsuit attorneys The dispute centers around whether the commission or the mayor calls the shots in a lawsuit to recoup the county's mounting costs related to the nation's opioid crisis. The administration is currently vetting attorneys for a lawsuit, possibly filed alongside the state, and settling on a legal strategy, Luttrell said.Luttrell argues that the charter gives him contracting authority, while Shafer argues that she, as chairwoman, can hire attorneys for commission initiatives and during emergencies. The mayor and the commission have clashed repeatedly over the years about the demarcations of their spheres of influence.In an emotional exchange with Commissioner Walter Bailey, Commissioner Terry Roland said he attended five funerals in seven days because of opioid-related deaths."If that's not an emergency, folks, I don't know what is," he said.During public comments, Michelle Whitlock of Arlington said she had seen opioid addiction decimate various family Continue Reading

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell's administration sued Board of Commissioners chairwoman Heidi Shafer on Monday in Chancery Court, challenging her decision last week to hire a law firm to sue pharmaceutical companies over the county's opioid crisis.In a news conference Tuesday, Luttrell said he was "irked" by Shafer's decision to hire New York-based Napoli Shkolnik, the law firm known for winning a huge class-action settlement for sick Ground Zero workers, among others. He repeatedly emphasized that her action was "unilateral," without input from the full commission or administration, and claimed she violated the county charter by usurping executive branch authority."The biggest foul, I think, is on our ability to aggressively move forward and address this from a consolidated standpoint," Luttrell said.However, Shafer maintained Tuesday that she has the authority under the charter to hire the attorneys, and especially during an emergency situation where a delay in filing a lawsuit could conceivably affect the size of whatever payout the county receives.Shafer shrugged off the the administration's lawsuit Tuesday as "insider, political, sausage-making" while at the same time saying it was an attempt to bully her in order to shield Big Pharma from taking responsibility for its role in giving Tennessee the second highest rate of opioid prescriptions in the nation, with more prescriptions than residents."I'm going to try to say this the nicest way I can," said Shafer, who laughed Tuesday morning when asked about the lawsuit. "I think it's a desperate attempt to protect a web of industries that are contributing to the addiction and deaths of an unconscionable amount of people in Tennessee."Asked if she had evidence Luttrell was attempting to protect pharmaceutical industries, she said no. "The net effect of what he's doing seems to be protecting those industries." More: Shelby County officials spar over hiring Continue Reading

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell accused County Commission chairwoman Heidi Shafer on Friday of overstepping her bounds in unilaterally hiring a nationally known law firm to sue pharmaceutical companies for fueling the county and nation's opioid crisis.Shafer, flanked by Commissioners Terry Roland and Reginal Milton, announced Thursday that she had exercised her authority as chairwoman to hire New York-based Napoli Shkolnik, the law firm known for winning huge class-action settlements for sick Ground Zero workers, users of diet pill fen-phen, and asbestos cancer patients.The firm would receive a 25 percent slice of any settlement or award from the lawsuit, Shafer said. She said that was the lowest percentage offered by several law firms.Napoli Shkolnik has a past pockmarked by accusations of overcharging, but Shafer said the firm was recommended by the National Association of County Officials. She added: "Anyone can hurl accusations about anything.""They're preying on our population," Shafer said of some pharmaceutical companies. "We need to weed out the bad actors, and the way to change is by hitting them in the pocketbook."However, Mayor Mark Luttrell on Friday said Shafer lacked the authority to hire the firm and emphasized that the county should act "very, very deliberatively" when deciding how to move forward with a lawsuit. He said his administration is exploring how best to challenge the hiring of Napoli and could announce a course of action early next week.The charter allows the commission to hire special attorneys while "exercising its legislative functions," although contracting authority normally belongs to the mayor. The administration could challenge her decision on the basis that the commission didn't approve the hire, that hiring an attorney to pursue the opioid lawsuit is an executive function, or both — although what a challenge would look like wasn't immediately clear.Roland said the commission is moving Continue Reading

The city is joining the fight against companies in the opioid crisis. It reminds us of the era of the battle against big tobacco. The West Nile virus is back. Everyone can help reducing the breeding spots. We suggest Louise Linton, the wife of U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Munchin, not come back to Kentucky for Derby. We don't like her very much. There's an airline betting you'll want to travel to Sin City. Hit - Louisville is fighting the opioid crisis with a lawsuit against three major drug distributors.Good.The suit filed this week in federal court alleges the companies failed to monitor and identify suspicious activity and report it to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.There were more than 197 million doses of prescription opioid painkillers distributed in Jefferson County between 2012 and 2017, according to Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell. Doing the math, that's more than 258 doses for every man, woman and child in Louisville. More: Louisville files lawsuit against opioid distributors that put 'zombies on our streets' Louisville is among a growing number of local governments going after companies. At least 50 lawsuits have been filed.One of the companies, Cardinal Health in Dublin, Ohio, said it would "vigorously" defend itself and that it would continue to work with regulators, manufacturers, prescribers, pharmacists and patients to fight abuse and addiction, according to the statement. The movement to file lawsuits to fight the health crisis is being compared to the many cases filed against big tobacco in the 1990s. After years of battling, those companies settled the cases with state attorney generals, agreeing to pay more than $200 billion. More: Doctors can stop the opioid crisis by not over-prescribing | Marty Makary More: Volunteers pony up to restore family drug court lost to state budget cuts Miss – Those backyard blood suckers have gone from itchy annoyance Continue Reading